UK Port Representatives Fighting Latest EU Regulations

The United Kingdom Major Ports Group Limited trade association (UKMPG), and the British Ports Association (BPA) will continue  to fight against the EU Port Services Regulation, resuming their campaign against this proposed regulation since it was launched by the European Commission in May 2013.

UK ports are amongst the most efficient and productive in the world, contribute substantially to the UK economy and employment, and operate without cost to the taxpayer, the UKMPG says.

While claiming to promote competition, the EU proposal would impose unnecessary cost and bureaucracy on UK ports and prevent them from operating as commercial businesses. This would put essential future investment at risk. As the industry has demonstrated, the UK’s ports sector is already strongly underpinned by the principles of competition and therefore these proposals are not needed, according to the trade association.

UKMPG and BPA maintain that they ”are very disappointed” that the EU Council of Ministers meeting on October 8 decided not to block the proposal. UKMPG and BPA will continue to oppose the Regulation as it moves to the European Parliament, which itself has twice defeated similar proposals in the past.